Easy Egg Tart

Ingredients:

(A) Custard Filling

100 ml. hot water

20 g. caster sugar

120 ml. whipping cream

2 eggs

Methods:

1. Combine sugar and hot water until fully dissolve.
2. Whisk in whipping cream and eggs.
3. Sift the custard filling into another bowl (no bubbles).  Set aside.

(B)  Pastry Dough

200 g. plain flour (sifted)

120 g. unsalted butter (softened)

20 g. caster sugar

10 g. brown sugar

1 egg

Methods:

1. Beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy.
2. Gradually, add in egg and mix well.
3. Mix in flour in 3 batches.  Mix with a spatula until well combined.
4. Form and wrap pastry dough into a disc shape. (don't press too hard).
5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. To make tart shells, pinch a portion of dough, press into tart shell, use a knife to slice off any excess.  Place on a baking tray.  Repeat until all is done.
   
7. Use a fork to prick on the bottom of each tart shell dough.
8. Bake in a preheated oven of 170 degree Celsius, (at second lower rack) for 10 minutes, then take out from the oven, add the custard filling into it.
9. Lower the temperature to 160 degree Celsius and bake for another 15 minutes.  Then lower temperature to 140 degree Celsius and bake for another 15 minutes.
10. After end of baking, leave the oven door slightly open (a small space will do) for 10 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and let tart cool on a wire rack and remove the mold after it has cooled down.

I adapted this recipe from Youtube with a slight adjustment to suit my baking preference.

Sweet Yam Paste Tart aka Orh Nee Tart

 

Ingredients for tart pastry:

225 g. plain flour (sifted)

115 g. unsalted butter (room temperature)

45 g. icing sugar (sifted)

2 egg yolks

Methods:

1. In a bowl, mix flour and icing sugar.
2. Cut room temperature butter into cubes and mix into the flour using a pastry cutter until resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add in egg yolks and lightly knead into a dough.
4. Pinch a portion of the dough and press into tart moulds.  Prick some holes on the bottom of the tart using fork/toothpicks.  I make 8 big ones using tart shells, and 20 mini ones using mini muffin pan.
5. Bake in a preheated oven of 160 degree Celsius for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Cool before storing in airtight container.
7. Tarts can keep for 1 month in an airtight container.
8. I make my tart shells a day before I make the yam paste and assemble it.

Ingredients for sweet yam paste:

250 g. yam (peeled and cut into slices)

250 g. water

70 g. rock sugar

20 pieces whole Gingko Nuts

70 g. water + 1/2 tbsp. granulated sugar (for cooking the Gingko Nuts)

25 g. thick coconut milk

Methods:

1. In a small pan, cook coconut milk over low heat till the side bubbles.  Do not let it boil.  Leave aside to cool down.
2. In a small pot, cook rock sugar with 250 g. water over low heat until the sugar dissolves.  Set aside and cool before use.
3. Cook Gingko Nuts with sugar until water almost dries up.  Set aside to cool.
4. Steam yam till soft.  Take out from steamer and mash till fine.  Put yam, half of the syrup water in (2), and coconut milk in a blender and blend till smooth and light.  Taste the sweetness of the paste, if you prefer sweeter, add more water syrup.
5. Transfer the yam paste into a pipping bag, snip the tip of the pipping bag and pipe the yam paste into the tart shells.  
6. Topped with a Gingko Nut and serve.

This recipe is adapted from 'Cooking with Lu' with slight adjustments to suit my baking preference.

Molten Lava Cheese Tart

 

Ingredients: (makes 16 tarts)

(A) Pastry

125 g. salted butter (cubed and chilled)

50 g. icing sugar (sifted)

250 g. plain flour (sifted)

30 g. ground almond

1 egg (lightly beaten)

Methods:

1. In a large bowl; add butter, plain flour, icing sugar and ground almond.  I use a pastry cutter to mix the mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.  You can use your fingers, but I did not as I have warm fingers, which easily melts the butter.
2. Add in lightly beaten egg.  Using hand, knead to form a soft dough.
3. Wrap with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Remove the cling film and turn the dough onto a bowl.
5. Take a portion of the dough, weigh it and press it into a tart mold (either reduce or add more). The amount for the first tart is used as a guide for me to make the rest.  Remove excess dough, if any, using a small knife.  Repeat until all the dough is used up.
6. Place all tart shells on a large baking tray.
7. Prick some holes with a fork onto the pastry shells.
8. Bake in a preheated oven of 180 degree Celsius; at the second lower rack for 20-25 minutes.
9. Remove from oven and let it cool down on a wire rack.
10. I prepare the tart shells a day before; so I remove the tart from the tart shell and let it cool down completely on a wire rack.
11. Keep them in airtight container in room temperature.

(B)  Filling

250 g. cream cheese (room temperature)

40 g. caster sugar

125 ml. whipping cream (room temperature)

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tbsp. corn flour (sifted)

1 egg yolk (for washing)

Methods:

1. In a mixer bowl add cream cheese and beat until soft.  Scrap down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, and add in caster sugar.  Continue to beat until almost combined.  Scrap the sides down again.
2. Add in whipping cream, lemon juice and corn flour.  Beat to combine.
3. Using a rubber spatula, scrap the sides down and stir until well combined.
4. Pour the filling mixture into a piping bag and clip it.
5. Arrange the tart shells onto a large baking tray.
6. Snip the tip of the piping bag and fill the shell tarts with cheese filling.
7. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
8. Crack and place an egg yolk in a small bowl.  Beat with a fork.
9. Take the cheese tart out from the fridge and brush the top with egg yolk.
10. Bake in a preheated oven of 200 degree Celsius for 12-15 minutes; with the baking tray place on the second lower rack.
11. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy...

These cream cheese tarts are so yummy.  Since I don't have enough of one type of tart shell mold, I make use of 2 types.

I adapted this recipe from 'Kathrine Kwa Baking Tutorial' with slight adjustment to suit my baking preference.

Portuguese Egg Tart

As I am not fancy into pastry making, I never bake any egg tart, though frankly speaking I love egg tarts.  It is through a Facebook posting that I came across this rather simple tart recipe, which calls for Puff Pastry from the supermarket shelf.  So, I gave this recipe a try out, and I should say the outcome is great, thumbs up!  Though, I couldn't get the 'signature burn' as in the actual Portuguese Egg Tart, but to me, that is secondary.  For now, I can at any time bake egg tart to satisfy my cravings ~ smile ~

Ingredients:
(A)  Custard Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup milk
60 g. caster sugar
1/2 tbsp. cornflour (sifted)

Methods:

1. Flour the work area, and roll the pastry (not too thin).
2. Cut pastry slightly bigger than the muffin tin mold.
3. Put pastry into the mold, press to the sides into even thickness and cut off extra with a knife.
4. Mix all the custard ingredients in a bowl with a hand whisk until well combined.  Sieve the custard through a fine mesh.
5. Pour the custard into the mold.
6. Bake at 200 degree Celsius for 40 minutes.
7. Let it slightly cool down on a wire rack.  Remove the tarts from the mold and place on a plate.
8. Let's have tarts for afternoon tea.

I adapted this recipe from Faridah Ainuddin with a slight amendment.